Living Illustration

What if some did not live by faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? (Rom. 3:3)

If you would like a living illustration of this passage, look no further than to those who deny God, or at the very least, who scoff at Him and His commandments. People who don’t care for God’s law try to justify their actions. Their argument is that if, by sinning, they can prove that there is no such a thing as morality and a lawgiver (God), then they cannot be punished for their sin. In other words, they believe they are doing you a favor by showing you how to live—even as their lives fall apart in front of you.

This thinking represents the best thought the sinful mind is capable of, really. Those who live this way often say things like, “I am just being real, accept me for who I am.” Perhaps that is true, but let’s face it, a life lived like this exposes the reason that God came to save us in the first place. We were lost in the darkness of sin.

The answer to this lifestyle and faulty reasoning is simple, according to Paul. The law reveals both a sinner in need of grace and a lawgiver who is just. God simply will not ignore the law just because we believe our actions are justified on account of an event or circumstances that have happened in our lives.

Examine your life and ask, “Am I a better example of sin or of grace?”

Devon Smith is currently the director of the masters’ program in theology and apologetics at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. He and his wife have pastored for fourteen years.